Walking With Jesus

Temporal Ownership

“But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 24:48-51 NLT)

Have you ever loaned something to someone and it was either never returned or returned in such bad condition it was unusable? Early in my marriage I did almost everything myself. My kids, as they got older, asked me, “Dad, how’d you learn to do all this stuff?” My answer was simple: “Poverty!” When you can’t afford to hire someone, you learn to do it yourself or it doesn’t get done.

I remember loaning a set of jack stands to a friend, jack stands, I might add, I couldn’t afford at the time to replace. He brought them back, but one of them was so bent out of shape it was unusable. Did he offer to replace it? Nope, just returned it as though nothing was wrong. That’s a very sad story (yeh, I can hear you giggling😊), but unfortunately, that’s how we too often treat what belongs to our Savior, namely, our own bodies.

The very graphic example Jesus gave above of end times should be a wake-up call for those of us who profess the holy name of Jesus as our Lord. What are the implications for us? We too often forget Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

We wrongly believe that because we use “our” money to buy things: cars, houses, clothes, food, etc. that they belong to us, failing to realize, as James taught us, “So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father…” (James 1:16-17a) Every penny we “earn” is a gift from God.

Who gives us breath? Life? Energy? The ability to think, work, move, have our being? We’re nothing without the Lord, yet, we think we’ve done our duty when we give to the church “our” tithe. It’s ALL HIS! – 100%! We just give 10% and beyond in recognition that it’s all His. As His children He owns us and everything we have, including our families, belong to Him.

Pastor Corky Calhoun nails it when he writes: “When it comes to our stuff we confuse temporal stewardship with eternal ownership.” A steward is a manager, not an owner. Another word for steward is servant. When we’re born again of God’s Spirit, we bring nothing to the relationship and whatever we receive in the process of serving Him is a gift for which we can take no credit.

When we treat our bodies, the very bodies that now house the Spirit of the living God, anyway we choose without thought of their “Owner,” we violate God’s right to us and treat something holy, sacred, and on loan from God as if it were our own. We cheapen, not only our own bodies in how we treat them, but our relationship with Almighty God.

We will one day stand before the Lord to give account for how we’ve used and abused our bodies with food, sex, drugs, and in other ways violated our commitment to treat our bodies as God’s sacred temple. We do not own our bodies; they are on loan from God. We’re their stewards, not their owners.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Important?

“So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.” (Hebrews 6:1 NLT)

What does the Christian Faith mean to you? If you know Jesus as your Friend and Savior, there is nothing in your life that means more to you. If, on the other hand, you have no use for God, faith, the Bible or any other such “nonsense,” the Christian Faith is obviously of no importance to you. What about those caught in the middle?

You may not have a personal love relationship with the Lord Jesus, but you haven’t completely written off the possibility of one day becoming a believer. Where do you fit? C. S. Lewis gives us a clue when he writes: “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”

The frightening reality of Lewis’ words is there is no “in between”; we’re either all in or completely disconnected from the living God. Otherwise, it’s like trying to stand in the doorway of a departing airplane – you either need to get strapped in or you’re going to get sucked out.

Faith in Christ is an either/or proposition: either commit or be lost, there is no middle ground. Heaven or hell is at stake, and the decision we make has eternal implications. It’s THAT vitally important. “Yeh, but I’m young, I have my whole life to make up my mind?” Have you never heard of an accidental death? Do young people not contract terminal illnesses? Do you believe Satan will EVER make that decision easy for you?

When will we learn Satan’s favorite tactic is “not now”? Satan’s very content to let you “ponder” your decision to come to the Lord, he just doesn’t ever want you to get serious and actually make that commitment. As a child of God, we must never let down our guard or get slack in our prayers for those who are lost. Every day 10’s of thousands of people die, many of whom are lost for all eternity.

Is that not of vital importance to those of us who bear our Savior’s name? Are we not responsible to pray for and seek those in our spheres of influence daily, sometimes moment by moment? Knowing Jesus is never a “one and done” proposition. We don’t say a prayer of confession, accept the Lord’s forgiveness and never change.

Knowing Jesus is a life-long friendship that has eternal implications in every other relationship we have or will ever have. The Lord doesn’t put us in touch with others by accident, there are always opportunities for us to speak hope, truth, and love into their lives. Our attitude when in another person’s presence may point them to the Savior or push them away, that’s why we must always have our “ears” tuned to the voice of the Spirit.

My hunger for Jesus began through a friendship with one of His children – through how he lived his life, through our conversations, through our interactions as friends. Friendship with those who have yet to come to the Lord is among the most effective evangelistic “tools” the Lord has given us, we must treat it with utmost respect, dignity and prayerful consideration.

Is our life in Christ important? Nothing else compares!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

A Prayer For Help And Praise For The Answer

*As I do the 15^th of each month, I’m offering you the privilege and opportunity to share in the vital ministry of Sylvia Gunter. Please read slowly and carefully, listening to the Spirit as He informs your mind and fills and restores your spirit. Blessings, Ed 😊

Praying Psalm 28

Has there been a time when it seemed that God was not listening to you? Did you feel as if He was far away? Be encouraged that God sees and hears you. He will renew your sense of intimacy with Him, for He has not moved. Take your eyes off the problems and raise them to praise Him for His loving care. The psalmist said, “It is pleasant and fitting to praise the Lord” (Psalm 147:1).

1 To you I call, O LORD my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.

I run to you when things get tough. I desperately need help. Hear me, and don’t be silent. Don’t turn me away. I am crying from an honest heart. I am struggling and in pain. My trust is fractured, and my feelings are hanging by a thread. I want with all my being to trust that You are my Lord and my Rock of safety.

2 Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.

I earnestly throw myself on Your mercy. I call to You as desperately as I ever have in all my life. By faith I lift my hands to Your holy throne of grace. Answer me and let me hear Your voice. I need You to be there for me. I need to know You are close. I need Your answer to be clear and tailor-made for my desperation.

3 Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts.

Don’t let me be ignorant of the enemy’s devices. The people I see are not the real adversary. Don’t let me fight according to flesh and blood. The workers of iniquity hide themselves behind smooth words. Don’t let their destructive intent have its way against me.

4 Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back upon them what they deserve. 5 Since they show no regard for the works of the LORD and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again.

I choose to bless the people who are being used to come against me, and I beg You to take Your rightful authority over the invisible powers behind their visible actions. They have set themselves primarily against You and secondarily against me, the work of Your hands. Lord, it’s Your battle.

6 Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy.

I praise You for who You are. Thank You for Your work in my life. Because of Your character as a committed covenant Father, You are gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, desiring to bless me. I thank You that in Your mercy You hear the cry of my heart when I plead Your promises.

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.

You are my strength, or I have no strength. I hide myself and still my soul in Your impenetrable shield. The habit structures of self-protection do not serve me. You are my refuge, my fortress, my protector, my help, my hope, my high tower to which I run and am safe. Renew my broken trust in the inner parts of my heart. Enable me to lean confidently into You and shout for joy because of Your joy. I will choose now to give You an offering of songs of thanksgiving.

8 The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.

Abba, I belong to You. You committed Yourself to protecting me. You alone are my unyielding strength and my sure salvation. On Christ the solid Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. I stand in Your fortress to see Your salvation. I will hide my soul deep in the Rock. I am Your special treasure, chosen, anointed, appointed, sealed by Your Holy Spirit.

9 Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.

Save me and nurture me and let me enter into all my inheritance of Your blessings. You are my good Shepherd. You will lift me up onto Your shoulders and carry me all the days of my life. So, Lord, for today give me this day the Bread of life that is my rightful portion. You alone are my Victory! Write your own personal paraphrase of Psalm 28, as aspects of God’s character and works exactly fit your need: He is your rock, mercy, holiness, justice, strength, shield from every danger, faithfulness, help, saving refuge, protection, and shepherding presence. Does your heart fill with joy and thanksgiving over who He is? Do you see how you can turn dire circumstances into a showcase for our praise-worthy God? Always “It is pleasant and fitting to praise the Lord” (Psalm 147:1).

Taken from Prayer Essentials For Living In His Presence, Vol 2, © Sylvia Gunter 2002. An archive of our devotionals is available at on our website.

Feeling Powerless?

“Jesus knew what they were thinking, so He asked them, ‘Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Is it easier to say “Your sins are forgiven,” or “Stand up and walk”? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!’” (Matthew 9:4-6 NLT)

There are two words in the Greek language that are translated “power” in our English translations. One is the word from which comes our English word “dynamite” and the other, used above, is the word that means “authority.” This isn’t the manager at Walmart who is given “authority” by those who hire him, it’s the God of the universe who is in and of Himself inherent power. It’s power that resides in Him by virtue of His nature; it’s who He is. He has power and authority because He IS power and authority.

When you’re feeling weak, powerless in and of yourself; when what looms before you is clearly too much to handle in your own strength, who will you call? Yeh, I get it, you can call “Ghostbusters” if you’d like, or you can call the manager at Walmart or your boss, your mother or any other human being, but you won’t find the help you need until you focus your attention on the God of the Bible.

Photo by Werley Fotu00f3grafo on Pexels.com

Thom Rainer points us to the right source when he writes: “We are powerless when we are prayerless.” As weakness seems to be my new “normal,” my primary recourse is to run to my Father’s arms. There I find comfort, peace, hope, strength, relaxation, assurance and everything else I need to push forward with hope and confidence.

Putting on a veneer of strength isn’t what will solve our problems or sustain us through our trials. The Holy God alone is enough because He not only IS power, He IS authority! How does that translate? It means nothing or no one touches my life without His express permission. It means if the Lord allows it, it has purpose, not to cripple or destroy me, but to make me more like Him.

In my weakness, my powerlessness, is my strength. I’m never more like Jesus than when I’m cradled in the arms of my heavenly Father. His voice will never be more clear, His power more evident than when He’s holding me, protecting me, teaching me, loving me. There is no greater security than being in the shelter of the most High God.

Satan is powerless in the presence of our Savior and Lord. The demons quake in fear at the mention of His holy Name. If we’re feeling powerless it’s because we’re choosing to be prayerless. Prayer is our lifeline to the Father; the anchor for our soul; our shelter in times of trouble. To not run to the Father with our every need is to display an arrogance that is like a slap in His holy Face. It’s to essentially say, “never mind, Holy, all-powerful Father, I’ve got this!” when clearly we do not!

Feeling powerless is for non-believers, those who haven’t yet learned that we have a heavenly Father who loves us and who has our backs. The weaker my body gets, the stronger my spirit grows and the more determined I am to see Him more clearly, love Him more dearly, and walk with Him more nearly!

I love these words Overheard in an Orchard, by Elizabeth Cheney (1859) “Said the Robin to the Sparrow, ‘I should really like to know Why these anxious human beings Rush about and worry so!’ Said the Sparrow to the Robin, ‘Friend, I think that it must be That they have no heavenly Father Such as cares for you and me!’”

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Absent or Hidden?

“Then Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!’ The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.” (2 Kings 6:17 NLT)

Trust in God is stronger than a mighty army! Confidence in God gives visibility to that which is shrouded in darkness! Prayer opens ways where no way existed!

We cower in fear in the presence of the unknown, the invisible, but our God is never absent. The last words Jesus spoke were: “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)

“Hidden” “Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com”

Elisha was a man of God who could see what others couldn’t see and hear what others were unable to hear. The Lord heard everything the King of Aram said, even his thoughts, and would pass on this information to Elisha. If they planned to attack Israel at a certain place, Elisha would warn the King of Israel to keep his troops away from that place.

The King of Aram was alerted to this, so he sent his troops to end Elisha’s life. That’s what Elisha’s servant was so upset about. All he could see were the Aramean troops, but when Elisha prayed, the Lord opened his servant’s eyes, and he was able to see the army of God.

People of God, we squirm and fear for no reason. Are you not aware the devil can’t pick his nose without the Lord knowing? He can’t muster an attack on us without the full knowledge of God, so, why do we worry and fret? “So, God allowed this illness? Accident? Unemployment? Hassle with my boss? My co-worker? Spouse? Child? Parent? ___________?”

Yep, that’s exactly what I’m saying. “But why?” To which I would respond: “Lord, open their eyes and let them see!” Too often we blame God for His absence when in fact He is with us, just hidden from our sight. I love these beautiful words of Ray Majoran:

“Almighty God, You are the Lord of heaven and earth, and nothing escapes Your sight. We praise You as the One who surrounds Your people with protection, provision, and power, even when we cannot see it. Just as You opened the servant’s eyes to behold the chariots of fire around Elisha (2 Kings 6:17), remind us that Your presence is never absent, even in the fog of uncertainty. You are our refuge, our shield, and our ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1).

Thank You for the faith that anchors us in not what is seen but in what is unseen (2 Corinthians 4:18). When fear presses in, when the horizon feels obscured, when our path seems hidden, You remain faithful. The armies of heaven stand ready, Your Spirit intercedes, and Christ reigns at Your right hand. You call us to trust that what we cannot see is no less real, and that the things hidden from our sight are firmly held in Your sovereign hands.

Teach us, Lord, to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Open our eyes to glimpse the wonders of Your presence, and strengthen our hearts to rest in the assurance that You are near. May we live with courage and peace, knowing that what is hidden now will one day be revealed in glory when Christ returns, and every veil is lifted. Until that day, help us to trust You in the unseen and to cling to the hope that is certain in Christ.” (See Hidden, 09-03-25 glimpseofinfinity.com)

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Wanting Jesus

“I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24 NLT)

What is it you most want? A happy life? A job? A new job? A new house or car? Children? Grandchildren? Retirement? To be married? To NOT be married? Better health? Less responsibility? More responsibility? More structure? Less structure? The list is long, probably endless, but here’s the real question: What do you want MOST?

If we’re honest, most of us don’t even know what we want most, but in this season of my life I really long for energy. I can lie down or even just sit and feel pretty good, but to move around is a chore these days. As the cooler weather sets in I’m hopeful to be able to walk outside some, to work in the yard and, as I’ve mentioned, to assemble my new shelving units for the garage, but my heart’s longing is to be like Jesus.

And it’s not simply to be good, even to be spiritual, but to be thoughtful, kind, loving, responsive on more than a passive level. Jesus is very interactive, involved, caring, anticipatory. He not only understands our needs, He feels our weariness of soul and body; He empathizes with our weaknesses in every dimension of our lives.

Every day I’m able to write it thrills my soul. This gives me an avenue of expression to help us gain insight into what gives our lives meaning. Apart from Jesus we’re nothing. If the devil told me he’d give me perfect physical health, strength, and ability if I’d deny Jesus and walk away from Him, I wouldn’t flinch. Health is meaningless, life is meaningless without Jesus. He’s ALL I want most of the time.

But here’s the truth: we can’t have Jesus without Jesus. Sounds crazy, I know, but think about it. Timothy Keller said it well when he wrote: “We aren’t even capable of truly wanting Jesus without His help.” We can never find a relationship with Jesus except the Spirit of God draws us, but in order for that to happen we have to be open to that process, but where does it begin?

Think of someone who never gives God a thought. Their life is full – of themselves, their work, their family, their recreation, their schedule, their business and busyness. They go through any average day without giving God or Jesus a thought. And here’s the truth: they may NEVER give Him a thought unless and until we pray for them.

It occurred to me recently that God loves me as if I were His only child, the same as He loves you! With all the billions of people scurrying around planet earth, how is that possible? Because our God is omnipresent – ever-present, present everywhere simultaneously. I’ve known that intellectually for many years, but it recently occurred to me that He’s really with us!

That means when I pray now, I don’t just pray for a person, I pray for their family, their co-workers, every person in their spheres of influence and every person in their spheres of influence! You say, “that’s silly!” Maybe it is, but here’s the truth, behind the saving grace of each of us was someone praying. The more people we can bring to the throne of God the more who will be saved. How do I know that? Because they can’t know Him without the help of God’s Spirit and the Spirit will not go where He’s not invited.

We MUST invite Him to speak to our lost loved ones, their friends, families, co-workers, classmates, and on and on until the whole earth is bathed in believing prayer. Will they all respond? Maybe not, but this much I know for sure – they CAN’T without God’s help.

They may not want Jesus, so we must want Him for them.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Is True!

“I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the gardener, He cuts off every branch of Mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they well produce even more.” (John 15:1-2 NLT)

Knowing WHAT is true begins to unfold when we meet the One who is the embodiment of all Truth. Someone can tell us: “Live a good life as best you can, treat others with kindness and respect, pay your taxes and be a good citizen and you will have lived a good life and will go to heaven.” Is that true? Not necessarily! Why? Because any means of getting to heaven short of submitting our lives and allegiance to Jesus and finding forgiveness and newness of life in Him is a shortcut that will lead to hell, not heaven.

Will those things likely follow if we’re walking in obedience to the Lord Jesus? Yes, of course, but to put our trust in our own efforts, regardless of how good we may look to others, is inadequate and false. Self-righteousness is no righteousness at all when it comes to qualifying us to get into heaven.

Knowing Jesus is the first step in knowing what is true. All truth flows from Him because He is the root of all Truth. There is nothing true that is true except it is derived from Him. But knowing Truth in the Person of Jesus is the first step. The closer we get to Jesus and the more we aspire to be like Him, the more His truth will become evident in and through our lives.

But knowing the truth must lead to embracing what is true. What does that mean? Knowledge without application is futile and valueless. Unless and until what we know changes who we are we’re simply shells without real life or true meaning. It’s like trying to live for Christ without knowing Christ. We may be able to talk the talk, but we’ll never know how to actually walk the walk.

The natural progression of knowing and embracing the truth is the lifelong journey involved in learning to apply the truth – actually living it out in our day to day lives. It causes me to think of the famous tightrope walker, Charles Blondin. On June 30, 1859, he had a large rope stretched across Niagara Falls which, of course, drew a very large crowd.

Applauding his performance as he crossed over several times, at one point he pushed a wheelbarrow across, back and forth. Afterword he asked the crowd: “How many of you believe I can push a human being across in this wheelbarrow?” The crowd roared with affirmation until he asked: “Who would like to go first?” Then there was silence.

We’re all about applause and affirmation until it’s our turn to get into the proverbial “wheelbarrow,” then we’re hiding behind others and remaining very silent. We do that at church. The Pastor preaches a stirring message, and we clap and cheer and raise our hands, until they ask: “Who is willing to be involved in this ministry?” “Who will give a generous offering to support this vital endeavor?” “Who would like to sign up for the next Mission’s trip?”

We’re all about watching someone else do what needs to be done, as long as it doesn’t cost us anything in time or money. We like to read books about great Missionaries, Evangelists, and people who are being bold for God. It thrills our hearts and encourages us, but it leaves us empty and wanting until we put our “YES” on the table and say to the Lord: “Whatever You want, Lord, whatever it costs me…YES!”

That’s what living the Truth looks like!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Our Identity

“But a famine came upon Egypt and Canaan. There was great misery, and our ancestors ran out of food. Jacob heard that there was still grain in Egypt, so he sent his sons – our ancestors – to buy some. The second time they went, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and they were introduced to Pharaoh.” (Acts 7:11-13 NLT)

Can you imagine the shock, yet delight, when Joseph revealed who he was to his brothers? Surely, when they realized who he’d become they feared for their lives, but when they realized Joseph wasn’t angry with them, but loved them and wanted to help them, surely their hearts were warmed and strengthened.

Do we not realize there are people in our spheres of influence who see us simply as their relative, friend, co-worker, classmate, or neighbor. They don’t have a clue who our “Father” is – Owner, Sustainer, Ruler of the world and all that’s in it! Think how delighted, thrilled, and grateful when they realize they can know Him too! He’s not simply our personal Savior; He’s Lord of lords and King of kings!

Perhaps we too quickly forget who we are, what our true identity is as God’s child. Too often we get lost in the shadows of our sin, shame, and ongoing battle with temptation. Yes, of course, those things are real, and we must deal with them, but we can’t lose sight of our true identity in Christ. It’s in that context we must not only identify the things we were and those things with which we do daily battle, but who we are in this moment!

When we confess our sin and seek Christ alone by faith alone to become for us what we could never in eternity ever become for ourselves – our Savior and Lord – we gain a new identity that redefines, not only who we are, but what we can now become!

Joseph was a slave when he entered Egypt. That was not only the circumstance in which he was trapped, it was who he was in the sight of his captors – until it wasn’t! Over time and through several very disheartening events in Joseph’s life, God was forming, training, and equipping him to assume his new identity, an identity that would not only be evident to him, but to everyone in Egypt and beyond.

If you are a child of God, you have been saved and set apart for sacred duty in no less glorious fashion as He set Joseph apart. And no, you may not become second in command to an Emperor, but you are second in command to the Commander- in-Chief of the Universe! Pharoah was a wimp in comparison with our Savior and God and the mission to which He calls us is certainly no less important than that to which He called Joseph.

In much the same way as God took Joseph through a series of “trainings,” He grooms us through the circumstances of our lives. Nothing happens in our lives by accident, so we must be attentive to what the Lord desires to teach us in every circumstance – those we deem good and those that are not so good. Being a slave, then being locked up in prison for something he didn’t do wasn’t high on his list of “good” things that happened to him.

But just as surely as God used those negative circumstances in Joseph’s life, He can and will use them in our lives to groom and prepare us for allowing us to use our new identity in Him to introduce those in our spheres of influence to Him. Sometimes those negative circumstances are the very things with which others can most readily identify.

God is great and good and will use our new identity in Christ Jesus our Lord to turn those in our spheres of influence to Him.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Unanswered or Unoffered?

“Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, “May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,“ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” (Mark 11:22-24 NLT)

Are there things for which you used to pray, but no longer see the need? Yes, of course, some prayers have been answered, so, our prayers shift to thanksgiving and gratitude. But what about the ones that haven’t yet been answered, but you grew tired of asking or discouraged because the answer didn’t come? Might it be you stopped praying too soon?

Do you recall that it was 25 years between the time God promised Abraham a son and when Isaac was born? And yes, you likely remember that his wife grew tired of waiting, doubted God, and encouraged Abraham to take things into his own hands, namely her handmaiden, Hagar. What’s my point?

Even the “father of our faith,” Abraham, grew tired of waiting. It’s natural and normal for us to wonder why the Lord is taking so long to answer our prayers, but we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that silence doesn’t mean absence. Just because we can’t see results doesn’t mean they aren’t still on their way.

There are people’s salvation for whom I’ve been praying for years, and other needs for which I’ve been praying for many months. You know my heart for my neighbors, but until recently there has been little indication that any of them have paid any attention to my notes to them. In recent weeks three of my neighbors have come to worship at our church, some bringing friends or family with them.

Hope is hope because it doesn’t give up, it endures, it perseveres, it doesn’t quit! I’m convinced too often our prayers aren’t answered because we quit asking, we stop offering our petitions and requests to the Lord because our heart hardens and our faith shrinks. F. B. Meyer speaks to the this when he wrote: “The great tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.”

Could it be the problem in our prayers isn’t God’s hesitation to answer, but our hesitation to ask? I think of temptation and sin with which we wrestle daily. Might it be the Lord hasn’t delivered us, not because His arms are too short or His power inadequate, but because we simply fail to ask Him with believing faith.

When we have more faith in our inability to overcome sin than God’s ability to deliver us, that’s not God not answering, that’s us not asking. Literally every day the Lord answers my prayers, often in surprising or unexpected ways, but other prayers that I offer, remain unanswered. Unanswered prayer continues to be a stumbling block for many believers, largely, I’m convinced, because the enemy uses them to discourage us and disorient our faith.

When Satan can keep us focused on the prayers God hasn’t yet answered, too often he can keep us from remembering the ones He clearly HAS answered. Here’s a word from the Lord: “I’m working! Trust Me!”

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Prize Ahead

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT)

Heaven grows more appealing to me with every passing day, not necessarily because of my physical issues, but because of my growing appreciation for who the Lord is enabling me to become in Him. His nearness enriches my life and His leadership keeps my focus on Him. My hope is you’re experiencing these same things in your life as you focus more and more on His investment in you.

It’s easy in the discouraging days in which we now live, to get down, to lose focus, to lose heart and forget we’re never alone, but the Lord is faithful and will always guide, guard, and equip us for every circumstance.

“Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com” “The Prize Ahead”

Brother Ray Majoran’s prayers always encourage and uplift me. May his encouraging words bless you as he prays: “Our Risen Lord, You are the goal of our lives and the prize we long to receive. We praise You as the One who calls us higher, teaching us to let go of what holds us back and to press forward with hope. You are worth more than every achievement, every possession, and every dream this world can offer. Nothing compares to knowing You and being found in You. (Amen! 😊)

Thank You for the reminder that our past does not define our future. You free us from the weight of failures and regrets, and You set our eyes on what is still ahead. In seasons when we feel weary or stuck, remind us that You are faithful to finish the good work You began in us (Philippians 1:6). Please give us strength to take the next step, knowing that the race You have called us to run has an eternal reward (2 Timothy 4:8).

Help us, Lord, to live each day with focus and perseverance. Teach us to press on in faith when the climb feels steep and to fix our eyes on the crown of life that You have promised to those who love You (James 1:12). May our lives point others to the joy of following You, until the day we see You face to face and share in the fullness of Your glory.”

Are you sensing the joy? Is your heart beating a little faster as you think of being with the Lord in heaven? Yes, of course, there are people and things we love here on earth, but our greatest Treasure is Jesus and to be with Him for all eternity tops every other consideration. Learning to thrive in a perfect environment, surrounded with only good and people who all love each other and Jesus with their whole heart, never having to worry about anything, ever! What’s not to love about that?

It occurs to me that in each of our lives there are those who still believe thoughts of God, heaven, eternal life, and the like is all “pie in the sky,” imagination, wishful thinking. It breaks our heart to think of being in heaven without them, but we do what we can do and must leave the results to God. Yes, of course, we continue to pray faithfully, believe wholeheartedly, and work diligently to help them come to the Lord, but ultimately, it’s their decision and the Lord will guide us in the best ways to reach them.

Know this! You are on my mind as I write today and though many of us will not meet on this earth, I look forward to hugging you and with tears of joy in my eyes, thanking you for your faithfulness to the Lord, absolutely, but also for reading these words that He daily gives me. You inspire and encourage me!

Blessings, Ed 😊